Bar Louie names Tony Wehner COO

BL Restaurant Operations LLC, parent to the Bar Louie casual-dining chain, has named Tony Wehner chief operating officer, the company said Thursday.

Wehner succeeds James “Smokey” Hughes, who will retire from the 125-unit, Addison, Texas-based company in July.

Wehner (left) most recently served as senior vice president of operations for Nashville, Tenn.-based Logan’s Roadhouse. He previously held leadership positions at On The Border, Chili’s Grill & Bar and Red Lobster.

He will be responsible for operations at Bar Louie’s company-owned restaurants.

"Tony is an accomplished operations leader with a proven history of success," Bar Louie CEO John Neitzel said in a statement. "We are very fortunate to have his experience and talents as part of our team.”

Wehner said: "This is my opportunity to help Bar Louie sustain growth while protecting its one-of-a-kind culture. I'm a longtime fan and feel honored to be part of the Bar Louie family."

Bar Louie, founded in 1991, has restaurants in 29 states. The brand was acquired in 2010 by private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners.